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Talent mayor’s race too close to call By Tony Boom Updated: Nov 08, 2022 09:49 PM A A Mail Tribune / file photo Challenger Mark Anderson was leading Talent Mayor Darby Ayers-Flood by seven votes for the city’s top elected position in the unofficial count released at 8 p.m. Tuesday. Anderson had 50.05% (1,044 votes) while Ayers-Flood stood at 49.71% with 1,037 votes. “It’s crazy. It could go either way. Seven votes is incredibly close,” said Anderson. “I thought it would go one way or the other, that it would be clear. I think we are essentially split. We are just kind of waiting it out.” Ayers-Flood has some strong supporters, but the vote indicates that a number of residents have different views, said Anderson. He said he campaigned to keep politics and religion out of city hall. “I think there’s some irritation, some frustration with what has gone on, but I also think there is some confusion,” said Anderson. Asked to respond to the results, Ayers-Flood texted, “The results are so close that it is obviously premature to comment. I’ll be glad to comment once the outcome is known.” Anderson said he gave voters a choice between continuing to do things as they are or making changes. Ayers-Flood campaigned for affordable housing and bringing home families who were displaced by the 2020 Almeda Fire. Another top issue was helping to rebuild businesses after the fire. She is in her second mayoral term, having won elections in 2014 and 2018. She lost a close mayoral election in 2010. Anderson got interested in running after a proposal was made to form a new urban renewal district in the city that would have cut funding for fire services and city services, including police. Ayers-Flood had supported the formation. A lack of support for city employees by elected officials was criticized by Anderson during the campaign. In races for four Talent City Council seats, incumbents were leading in all, with vote differences ranging from 13 on the low end to 207 on the high end. Ayers-Flood and the four incumbents seeking reelection formed their own coalition, Talent Forward Together, claiming they worked well as a team. Anderson and the four candidates who opposed incumbent councilors formed a loose coalition for the election and said they offered a choice to voters. Collette Pare-Miller was leading for Position 1, a four-year term, with 1,120 votes, 54.98% compared with 913, 44.82% for challenger Deric Manzi. Pare-Miller was appointed to the position in January 2021. She listed her top priorities as bringing families home after the Almeda Fire and keeping Talent affordable. Manzi moved to Talent a year ago and was investigating local politics when he learned about the urban renewal proposal and campaigned to make people aware of its consequences. In the race for Position 3, David Pastizzo appeared to be victorious over Kevin Zimmerer for the four-year seat. After early returns Tuesday, Pastizzo had 1,068 votes, 52.92%, while Zimmerer received 946 votes, 46.88%. Zimmerer said he ran to offer a different point of view and a different outlook, to give people an option. Pastizzo was appointed to the seat in January. He stressed emergency preparedness, affordable housing and fire recovery in his campaign. Nicole Greider held a slim lead Tuesday night over Jack Lanni for the two-year, Position 4 spot. Greider had 1,016 votes, 50.30%, while Lanni polled 1,003 votes, 49.65%. Greider was appointed to the position earlier in the year. She stressed strategies for future disasters in response to climate change. Lanni called for 24/7 police protection and voiced concerns about exit routes from Talent in an emergency. Eleanor Ponomareff was on top for the four-year Position 5 seat, leading Cynthia Jones with 1,036 votes, 51.52% to 972, 48.33%. Ponomareff was elected to the seat in 2018. She said sustainable, climate-resilient housing in needed. Jones said there is a divide between elected officials and city workers in Talent. She said the city needed a more empowered staff. Reach Ashland freelance writer Tony Boom at [email protected].